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What’s in Your Bag? with Landscape and Street Shooter Andy Williams

Do you know all those times when you’re out shooting and you run into another photographer? You sneak glances at their gear to see if they measure up to what you’ve got (or because you covet thy neighbor’s glass.) Don’t worry, we all do it!

Now we’re letting you do it shamelessly and without fear of getting caught. Let’s see what SmugMug’s House Pro Andy Williams of Moon River Photography puts in his bag. Read all the way to the bottom — you may just win something…

I’ve owned lots of gear, but my collection has actually shrunk over the years and now I only keep and carry what I actually use.

Bag

Let’s start with the bag itself. For years and years, I’ve been using the Crumpler Farmer’s Double and I still love it. It’s my bag of choice for a day trip or short outing. Look for it used, because Crumpler doesn’t make it anymore. :)

For longer trips, I’ve recently settled on the Kiboko bag from Andy Biggs’ Gura Gear. I’ve had the opportunity to try a whole lot of bags – top of the line models from Lowepro, Crumpler, Tenba and Think Tank – and I chose the Gura Gear bag:

It’s super light, made from the same fabric used in America’s Cup sailboat sails! It’s less than half the weight of the big bags from the other guys, and when you carry it all day that makes a big difference. It holds plenty: two bodies, plenty of glass, accessories and more. You can even put a 500mm f/4 in it!

The suspension system is awesome, it rides well, and you feel like you’re carrying much less weight than you actually have. And, it hides when you don’t want to use it. This bag will easily swallow up 35lbs of gear with room to spare. Everything about this bag screams attention to detail – the way the suspension system tucks away out of sight when you’re not using it, the built-in raincover, the zipper pulls that are glove-friendly. They’re out of stock most everywhere right now, but Andy Biggs assures me that he’s got some really cool stuff in store for his fans really soon.

Tripod

As a landscaper, this is without a doubt one of the most important pieces of gear I own. I recently started using the newest carbon-fiber kit from Really Right Stuff, their TVC-23. Expensive? Yup. But the stability of this rig just can’t be matched by any tripod I’ve used (including the top of the line Gitzos). It’s super strong and super lightweight at only 3lbs. I pair this tripod with the Really Right Stuff BH-40 ballhead which also supports the lenses that I use regularly (up to 300mm). I do own the larger RRS BH-55 ballhead for when I need to support a 400mm or 500mm lens. For years, I was using the Gitzo 2530, and what I like about the new RRS ‘pods is their stability, and the way the head comes together with its “Apex Lock” system. It is without a doubt the sturdiest, lightest tripod I’ve ever owned.

For traveling, and lightweight (like backpacking), I also have the Gitzo 1541 and a RRS BH-30 which is a super lightweight combo! I shoot lots of panoramas, and so a very important piece of my kit is the Really Right Stuff Pano Head, which I use for stitched panos in the landscape.

Glass!

I admit I’m a bit of a glass snob. I’ll use primes when I can, but I do love a couple of zooms I own. Let’s go from small to big.

First off, the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye zoom – super ultrawide on the full-frame 5DII and for really fun landscape videos on the 7D. Sharp and reliable! But… I do have my eye on Canon’s newly announced 8-15mm fisheye zoom though, and expect to be shooting with it this summer.

Canon’s 24 f/1.4L Mark II – a fantastically sharp wide angle lens, I’m so in love with this glass that I gave up the supremely sharp Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 for it!

For all-around use, I have one of the very first copies of Canon’s 24-105L and it’s a workhorse lens for me. If I’m out for a day and I can’t take a lot of glass, I’ll grab this.

For portraits, I have a couple of excellent choices: Canon’s 50 f/1.2L and Canon’s 135 f/2L. Given enough room, I love shooting portraits with the 135L, it’s one of the sharpest lenses ever, bar-none. Love the 50mm 1.2 for it’s ginormous lens opening – and it’s my go-to lens for extreme low-light work.

More reach? I’m not the first guy to say that Canon’s 70-200 f/2.8L IS Mark II is a favorite. I own it, have owned the prior model, and won’t ever be without it. Super sharp, great IS so you can shoot in low-light when needed. Fast on the AF. And yeah, I use it in the landscape, too.

Recently, I’ve been using Canon’s newest zoom, 70-300 L IS. It’s not fast (f/5.6 at the long end) but boy is it sharp and what a convenient little package.

If you’re wondering about birds and wildlife: I don’t own really long glass but when I need it, I usually rent a 500mm f/4L or 600mm f/4L from BorrowLenses. When I travel to Africa for three weeks this October, I’m doing just that!

Bodies

No surprise here – I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II and a Canon 7D. The 5D Mark II is a super landscaper’s camera, great performance, high pixel count, HD movies, and more. When I need a faster frame rate and a bit faster AF, I reach for the 7D.

Funny, I used to be a 1Ds Mark III snob… but I cannot for the life of me figure out why one would buy that camera body at nearly 3x the cost of a 5D Mark II. Sure, I’m awaiting the rumored 1Ds Mark IV like most Canon shooters, but the sane part of me says, “why”?

(Those of you that know me are probably laughing right about now!)

Filters

Guess what? I own only two, a circular polarizer and a neutral density filter. I use the CPL when I want to get the best sky possible 90 degrees or so from the sun. I will also use it in certain circumstances like fall foliage to get richer colors, and of course to lose reflections when shooting water. I love my 6-stop ND filter, to smooth out the water in a waterfall or running stream in daylight.

Everything Else

After I shoot there’s plenty to do! I use Adobe’s Lightroom 3 (and SmugMug’s awesome built-in uploading), Photoshop CS5, Auto Pano Pro for my stitches, all on an Apple Mac Pro with two 30″ HP Monitors.

Win This MetalPrint

It’s not all work, and no play though. Now that you’ve gotten a close look at my gear bag, here’s your chance to take home something fun (note: Ts and Cs here). Comment on our blog post below and “Like” us on Facebook. One winner will be randomly selected on Monday, April 18 at Noon PDT to win a big and beautiful MetalPrint of this Mono Lake Tufa photo. You can see how it will look on your wall here.

Enjoy (looking into other photographers’ bags) photography,
– Andy

—————

UPDATE! We were totally blown away by the response to this giveaway, so we are sharing the love and randomly selecting THREE Winners!

First place, and the winner of the MetalPrint, goes to Darlene Buck. The two Runner Ups, and the winners of a free year of SmugMug Pro each, are Jordan Van de Vorst and Jenny Sipes. Congrats!! Katherine from our team will be emailing you each shortly with details of your prize.

Thanks to everyone who participated. There is a lot more goodness where this came from, so keep yer eyes on this blog, Facebook, and Twitter for many more giveaways to come.

I was out shooting at the local botanical gardens last year and saw another photog shooting a wedding there. I had my 80-200 on me so I shot a picture gear when I was at a good angle so I could see what he had. I was disappointed to see yet another “pro photographer” toting a $600 body/lens kit with a cheap brand flash.

As long as the pictures are pro quality, I don’t care if they were shot with a pocket instamatic, but it sure as hell depresses me to see someone with incredible gear that still can’t manage to turn out anything more than marginally passable on either a technical or an artistic level.

Thanks for the peek in your bag – I love this kind of thing. Where does the Leatherman travel when you need to get through TSA?
Oh, besides the tylenol/immodium/antacids baggie I never leave home without a couple of protein bars in my bag.

Oh my! And seriously I’ve just been drooling over getting a couple of prime lenses and a step-up from my T1i… LOL. This newbie has a long way to go. Now I’m off to go figure out what an intervalometer is.

Hi Jack! It’s def insightful. I like the camera – but I HATE the on-camera flash. Wish I knew what I know now about lighting and kit lenses before I started. That being said, I’m forcing myself to learn exactly what I need to know to take great pics. Some people judge pro-photogs using remedial gear. I think it’s worse to use rad gear and produce remedial work. :) (The upgrade on stuff will come eventually!!)

Great stuff! That kiboko looks very nice. I am on the upswing of collecting equipment, I suppose starting to weed stuff out now might be the best idea! But we all love toys. Thanks for sharing Andy. (sidebar- I always wondered about that big ol’ expensive 1Ds…)

Wow really like all of your stuff! glad SmugMug posted to facebook you have ALOT of helpful tips and amazing work! I’m going to be using these tops while I’m visiting Nevada for some awesome mountain shots :)

Great blog! Although I must say after reading through all the different types of gear, your setup for editing has me the most impressed. I just love that great shot right above your desk with the sun peaking through the rocks!

Ahhh the screen real estate with 2, 30″ monitors. I thought I was doing good with a 27″ iMac and 27″ cinema display. Thanks for the peak into the bag. I’d love to have some of that gear to carry with me all the time!

I’m a fan of Andy’s. I specially like the image of him with feet on the table – hahahaha – so funny. No worries Andy; I do the same thing when I work and need to stretch my legs. Loving your work Andy!

Looking for the best gearbag I can get. It had to hold my Canon7D and several lenses. Backpacking into to remote area with this much gear is hard enough, need a lighter yet durable bag. I am going to look at the bag you have mentioned here. i almost went to Mono Lake with my kid (17yr old budding shooter, with an incredible eye) but we opted for a beach vaca.. limited shooting ops this trip ;{.

Thanks for this post. As a newbie in the photography world, it’s always really helpful to know what people are shooting with and what sort of gear they actaully use/cart around. Think I’ll go shopping for a new bag…

I always love to see what other people are shooting with and what they are doing with it. I’m a new student trying to pursue a BFA in Photography and Graphic Design so I’m always looking for ideas, gear information, etc. Please keep up these posts to help those of us just starting to learn.

You seriously have me drooling over all that nice gear and lenses in that bag!! Coupled with some awesome skill, I’m guessing! ;-) I’m starting to think about what to get when I upgrade for body, and it was between the 7D and 5DII… If you could only have one, which would it be??

Andy, have you compared Easy Release to other contract makers on the iPhone? I have “Photographers Contract Maker” that I like, but I was curious about others.

Also- here’s a couple of other good Photography apps to check out:
-Depth of Field Calculator (self explanatory)
-LightTrac (very cool app, let’s you “find the perfect light conditions, time and location to photograph their subjects anywhere in the world.”…basically, it’s light maps, but witht he position and angle of the sun built in).
-and of course, SmugShot ;D

Andy, I just love your bag of goodies. It sucks to drool over other’s things. I need to find me a great to get some of the goodies you have in your bag. :) Thanks for the insight! Love the photos on your wall. One day when I get the lens for it, I will take some landscapes to cover my walls :)

What a beautiful photo!
I never leave home without The Photographer’s Rights or my business cards. You never know when you may need either of them.
You have some very nice toys there. ;) I’m working my way up to equipment like that. Slowly but surely.

Thank You..as an amateur, peeking into others’ bags can teach alot…just reading blogs can be so educational. I love shooting landscapes too…wish so much that I could afford to go someplace exotic, but, the good thing about landscape is….no matter where you are, there is one. It’s just in how you look at it.

I felt like I was caught red-handed when reading your intro, I do enjoy checking out other people’s gear. Thanks for sharing your setup with us! I’ve been wanting to buy a Canon 24-105L for a great all-around lens for traveling light.

I love all the things you have in your bag! I would love to add to mine! I have been wanting “better” gear than what I have now! I am a new photographer. . .usually I do photos as a hobby but love to learn more and more! Thanks

I have been wanting the 24-105L for awhile because of it’s vast variety of use. One filter I do enjoy using apart from the CPL and ND filters is the Reverse GND for sunrise/sunset shots. It has really made some great shots happen!

Really you have a nice set up! I was thinking the same thing that others have said, that it looks too clean to have been used so much out in the field. Although I was also thinking as I was reading that there must be something wrong with me that I must not be taking care of my equiptment very well! Its good to know that others are like me! Great peak into your bag, although I shoot with Nikons at this time but have wondered about going back to Canon. I use to shoot Canon back in the film days.

Did you ever do what your Mum UK (Mom US) told you, Its bad manners to put your feet on the table. Get your bl**dy feet off the table and do as you are told. ;-p
And its a shame your a Canon user…… suppose Ive blown my chances of winning the print :-D lol

I have the Nikon version of the 135 f/2.8, and it’s a lot of fun. Very creamy bokeh, and easy to focus. Crumpler is also my bag vendor of choice. I love their stuff. Thanks for the post, and the chance at free stuff. ;)

That photograph is absolutely amazing!! While I don’t have the budget yet to have a setup like this, I am just taking my first steps into photography with my D3100. It’s definitely nice seeing what other people use for lenses and what they are indeed good for.

Very interesting article and some really great gear — I am drooling over either of the wide angle lenses, and the Kiboko bag. The gear bag give-away is a fantastic event. I love photography and all the neat gear!

I am super guilty of checking out other photographer’s gear so when I saw this post I couldn’t wait to read it. You mentioned above that you are a landscaper, what do you use for rain or bad weather gear? I shoot a lot of sports photography and have been caught in quite a few storms. I have a couple of camera covers/sleeves but I’m not completely happy with them. Any recommendations?

i’m not even a photographer & I’ve now followed you on twitter and facebook and loving every minute of it. i’m an artist who is enamoured by images and fascinated by the process of creating them. The bag & equip now are on my Serious Bucket List!

It is interesting to see what gear you use. I have a Gitzo tripod (CF) which is my favorite for light duty. A question, unrelated to your post – what service/technology are you using to run your short url service?

hmmmm, I just purchased the 24-105L IS and have only had a chance to use it a few times. But so far, I am in love and it was the best purchase I’ve made! Next on my list is the 70-200 2.8L IS, but I’ve a lot of saving to do…sigh.

I feel like an interloper, dropped in from another planet. A poor neglected step child, a spider from Mars. I could never imagine having a wonderful camera bag…much less all the beautiful equipment stashed in it.

But I’m a great dreamer of dreams, and I love to see how “others” live! I’m lusting after you, Andy Williams. (perhaps I should say your gear bag?). What a wonder of goodies you have just invited me to leer upon! Heaven

I am not only coveting thy neighbor’s glass but that sweet Mac set up and working without shoes. That beautiful MetalPrint…well, it would look simply stunning in my office. And it might, just maybe, inspire me to kick off my shoes while I work :)

Andy, I was wondering if you might want to trade camera bags with me? Just kidding! You’ve got a great kit though, seriously! And I love your work, so I’d be psyched to win the metal print! Best wishes, Cindy

I have a similar work flow as you using 2 monitors and lightroom 3, just wish my gear bag was as well stocked as yours. I like the fact that you carry only a cir-pol and ND filter, with the digital processing capabilities and using raw you can simulate any filter effect. Always a fan of a minimalist approach.

Thanks for allwing me to take a sneak peak into your gear! I’ve been known to zoom up on a camera to take a shot to see what the lens and camera type is! It’s fun to see what they have and of course…. dream! ;o)

Evan, check out Crumpler’s EU site for something similar: http://www.crumpler.eu/ I picked one up while in Europe because I liked the half-photo backpack style too and the US/Aus line no longer has ‘em.

Well that is some serious gear you have there! LOVE LOVE LOVE the pin collection on your Crumpler! I outgrew my Crumpler and passed it on to my daughter and her DSLR…. haven’t splurged on another for myself… poor me :)

I sport a fancy, even if slightly too small, Lowepro Versapack 200 AW. Nikon d90 body geared up with the versatile 18-105mm, plus prime 50mm f/1.8 and 70-300 telephoto, Giotto rocket air blower, a couple of lens cleaning pens, spare batteries and radio remote. Occasionally I also carry a Velvon tripod (for lack of a fancier Manfrotto) or if I need to pack tight a gorillapod. UV, Polarizer and IR filter (just for fun) and sometimes a Macro/wideangle lens extension (for the times when 18mm is not wide enough). If I am walking around without a tripod I normally carry my camera attached to a Blackrapid RS-4 strap, which would be the perfect strap if not because it doesn’t play very nice with the tripod quick-release plate.

I was wondering how you felt about the cushioning of the Gura Gear bag. My lowepro has great padding and I never feel nervous about the possibility of a drop. Looking at that bag it doesn’t look all that forgiving.

Do you really read these replies? We don’t have that kinda scenery here to even attempt to shoot something as cool as that! I can imagine it hanging nicely on my wall across from my bed, waking up to a site that everyday would be so inspiring… sigh.

Love the post Andy and glad to see your gear and the post was excellent for detail. As a Canon5dMII shooter, it is very informative and helpful to see your other gear. The Mono Lake Tufa photo is fabulous! Thanks for all you do. BR, jacy

Nice to be able to take a peek at what someone else has….and I wish I had. ;)

I am trying to consider a new strap and can’t decide on a hand strap or a side sling….and now I now that you use a Camdapter Hand Strap; I am going to go out and see what one is like to make a fair decision.

Even as a Nikon shooter I enjoyed your gear, I too will shoot primes about 90% of the time. I just opened my smugmug Pro account and love the integration between Lightroom 3 and smugmug, makes it super easy to upload my photos. Still have lot’s of tweaking to do to my site to get it where I want it to be but love the service so far.

Great article Andy, I was in Yosemite over the last three days and one of the things that occured to me was that I needed a simpler more efficient pack design. Working out of a shoulder bag and a sling bag is a hassle and there is always something I want in the “other” bag that is the bag I am not currently carrying!!I will definitely have to look into your choices!

Thanks, I love seeing other’s gift of photography.
I love landscapes too and looking at all the wonderful mixtures of colors and textures that is out there to enjoy…a moment in time, caught forever….love it!

Thankyou so much for sharing your bag with us. I’m just starting out & was wondering about what other photographers have/ carry with them on photo shoots. Actually, I just learned what the world glass meant in a book I was reading last week lol. It as been so much fun researching & learning about all of the cool equipment photographers use too. I never realized there was so much stuff lol. I’m also a new smugmug member & I’m really enjoying the website. I’m looking forward to learning from you & all of the wonderful photographers out there. Thanks again for the info :)

The camera bags look really nice and they definitely hold camera(s) and equipment. But I do not see any place to put water bottles and food.

I am looking forward to some day hiking trips and want a bag that will hold both camera equipment and the necessities of the trail (water and food for the day). Does anything exist that fulfills the basic requirements for both the photographer and the hiker?

Hi Andy- I love peeking into your bag. Nice validation for me that I’m on the right track saving up to upgrade my 40D to a 7D! I will definitely check out the bag itself, too. I would love a new bag that is lighter! Thanks for sharing!!

More than the gear in the bag, I’m always checking out other photographers’ tripods. I’m not happy with mine, and seriously envy your carbon fiber. I have a bad back, and my heavy tripod sits at home when I should be using it.

My Mac Pro has 16Gb of RAM. I rarely shut it down, and am always running lots of apps and using tons of RAM, so more is always better IMO. Yes, the Crumpler straps are nice, but IMO you can’t beat SmugMug’s strap :)http://smugmug.com/free-stuff

DANG… Just as I think I’m gaining on gear, tech, and bags… Andy sends me back to the dark side. You know, where you’re in the twitlight zone, blindly bumping around, saying.. I want that… I need that… argh! :D

I am so glad to see that you have a mentor nearby … Gumby to the rescue!! I too am a Canon-ite and began drooling when I saw the first red-ringed lens in the photos. Thanks for sharing your perspectives and if there are any secrets on how to get the ‘free’ stuff from the camera gods it would be greatly appreciated if you could pass them on. Thanks again and I hope Pokey is somewhere nearby!

The article was very interesting. I always like to see what others carry to think about if I am not fully prepared in my ideal setup. I had the 24-105 on my 7D and thought I made a mistake and couldn’t sleep until I sold it and bought the 24-70 2.8 and I wish now that I had kept it and used the difference money to buy another lens. Great photos.

A truly wonderful collection of high performing lenses indeed.
But aren’t you interested to now upgrade to Canon’s NEW even more wonderful 12-800mm 1.2f IS II, USM that only weighs 11oz and immediately images all models to resemble Brazilian Alessandra Ambrosio? It’s only $1.5 million
Love you guys, you’re the best

Wow, the contents of my bag are nearly identical! Except for the glass, the 5D MKII, the hand strap (I’ll be gettin’ one), the fiber ‘pod w/ xtra head, but other than that. Good point about the 1Ds MKIII, ‘but why?’

I would like to win the fabulous image 1/2 Gigapixel, comprised of 50 frames from a Canon 5D Mark II. I find the composition spectacular and the colours very soothing. The metal print would suit my studio decor (with your credit on it of course, especially if it comes with your reflection in the bottom right corner ;)

I wonder if you have a personal story to share which led you to carry the Photographer’s Rights or does it go along with the Leatherman for when things go wrong? ;) I aspire to carry a similar bag of gear someday. . .

I love landscape photos, Was and still is my greatest joy, what do you use to stitch that many frames together?
Great collection of gear, Wishing that I could be out shooting in this great weather that we are having right now in Utah, got sidelined with a tarsal coalition in both feet, yes ouch, great print, you have gotta take care of those feet. Can’t have just one Leatherman, I have at least three, just in case I happen to break one, there extremely well built, tried the other brands nothing holds up to everyday use like the Leatherman, one of the greatest warranty’s that exist.

Great post Andy.. and super print. Like the Kiboko bag. For backpacks, I’ve tended to use Tamrac because the ability to attach an external lens case (or two) :-) when needed. I know other backpacks are similar.. Again good post!

I really like your idea of carrying the photographers rights with you. This is a great idea! I have had some parents come up to me screaming about not taking pictures of their children for our school yearbook. If they are at a school related event and I have permission to be there to take the the photos, they really cannot do anything. Thanks for all the great tips. I learn something new everyday at Smugmug.

Great post. I’m also now at the point where I only want to keep only what I use and need. I have a new 7d, which I love and a 1D Mark II, which I probably will replace eventually with a 5D. I also have the 85 1.2, which I absolutely love. It’s my favorite lens. I also have the 70-300 L IS, which is a neat and super sharp, general all around zoom. I have a 24-70, but might replace this for a fixed wide angle. Still unsure. I am, however, loving the video capabilities of the 7d and have bought a few extra accessories for it. It’s challenging but I love the creativeness that comes out of it. Take care!

Loved seeing what’s in your bag! I am quite the beginner. Just reading this added a lot to my knowledge base. That print is just gorgeous! I had already “liked” you on FB. Hope still qualify for the drawing. :)

I wish that the Nikon family had a camera as beloved and packed with value as the 5D mark II. I have a D300, and it’s fantastic, but not full frame. I guess the D700 might be something worth considering.

This was a great article! I have a crumpler bag myself and it’s so lovely. I get a bunch of compliments for it and best of all, its practically water proof! I went to the beach 2 weeks ago and as luck would have it, the tide tried to wash away my bag and everything with it but thanks to crumpler’s sturdy material, NOTHING inside was wet!

Wow I really love all the amazing glass you can carry in your bag and your Canon 5D Mark II and a Canon 7D . The best part is taking it all to Africa this year! Can I get in your bag too? I love Africa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, a 7D and a 5DII … color me green with envy! I just ordered a 24-70 f/2.8L (my first L-glass) to go on my 7D … can’t wait to get it… maybe I’ll check out those bags.. I do like the look of the first one (Crumpler).. Great post, thank you!

I have a new image that I would really like to test out on a metallic print, so I had to join into the conversation! Recently I rented the Tokina 10-17mm fisheye zoom while traveling on tall ships on the Great Lakes. It was a FUN lens. Seriously fun. In fact, I had a very hard time returning it ;-)

I’m always looking for camera bag recommendations. At the moment I use the Kata R-102. It’s a backpack type that has plenty of space to carry the gear I like to go out with. Two bodies with vertical grips, 70-200 2.8, 17-35 f2.8, 35-70 f2.8, 50m f1.4, SB-900 & SB-800. Try as I might to go out with just a camera and one lens I just can’t. When I’m asked if my bag and equipment weighs a lot I tell them I like the feel of the weight and it goes back to my days in the Marine Corps. I was an 81mm Mortarman and along with our packs, food, water and light M-16 I carried a 45lbd bipod! Granted I’m not 23yrs old but at 50 can still carry my gear around all day in the South Florida sun.

Some of the gear makes me drool. But thanks for admitting to packing camera manuals– I’d worried I was being neurotic. They’ve saved me more than once, however! The gorgeous shot makes me drool too– thought you’d gone to Mars. It made me spend too much time on Google Earth looking up this place. Wow!

I have a whole crate of cameras, but none of them are as nice as your gear Andy. It’s cool to know that you have the same lenses that would be on my dream list–a lot of primes. Maybe someday I’ll be able to get some, but only after a decade or so.

Will love to win this. .Just a small request. Few of your readers doesn’t have facebook account. So it would be good if you don’t make facebook entry is mandatory. So everyone will have fair chance of winning.

Oh my gosh I have never been more jealous of a bag of camera gear ever! I, like many am just looking at my first L series lens. That will be an exciting day. And I agree a good eye and a kit lens beats the most expensive L series lens and lack of talent/technique any day.

I don’t know much about the art, I saw my brother had been looking at the photo though and thought what the heck maybe I could win and give it to him. Weirder things have happened. The photo is beautiful also. !!

Thanks for allowing us to “peek” into your bag! I rarely wonder what’s in other photographers bags but I always look to see if their sporting glass with that pretty red ring! All the best & happy shooting.

Thanks for the peek inside the bag. It is great timing as I am just back from my first “unsupervised” shooting experience on vacation. The biggest complaint I had was the weight of the gear I was hauling around. I figured most of the weight was in the heavy/cheap tripod and the info about your setup is great timing. I am hoping that this year I can move from the DevBobo style panorama to something a little more precise.

I am not complaining though as the panos are still very successful for what I use them for.

In terms of the Leatherman, I have the same challenge and finally found a good solution for plane flights. It is not ideal but it does work. A few years back my company gave away a multipurpose tool & flashlight (not the vendor we used but a good picture http://www.4allpromos.com/s/p15265/multi-purpose-tool-flashlight.html) that has not been stopped a single time yet by airport security with over 150 trips on it. If they do catch it, well I might have more in my drawer. Yes, it is missing a knife but most of the problems have been solved with the screwdriver.

I am curious do you do all your “chimping” on the back panel of the camera or do you use another display? I have been bringing over displays but am still fighting the weight to chimping issue. I have tried a MacBook and an iPad but have not found a solution for the iPod.

And I thought I was the only one who collected pins! Great article and your pics prove you don’t need every lens made to take great shots. You need a keen eye and a good brain ( good select glass just helps!)

I love my bag I only wish i could mount my tripod to it.I do urban decay photograph’s and on occasion I have to climb a barb wire fence. I have made a holster for my mag light on it. What bag would you suggest I us? Remember I have to fit into small openings, scale fences and avoid homeless squatters so it can not be to bulky.

Very NICE gear Andy! Thanks for making it available in this … Would love to win it. Not long ago replaced my wife’s 30D with a 50D was holding a 5D in my hand after just looking at a 7D. She could not figure out how to shoot the 5/7D cameras and since it was her camera that got stolen I sacrificed; got the 50D and have loved using it with her and teaching her how to step away from the program setting. She has a great eye and great luck it is really fun to watch her with the camera, especially now as she is shooting with new settings for her.

Cool sneak peek Andy! Wondering if you have an awesome monopod tucked somewhere in that gear bag somewhere that you’d highly recommend? And how ’bout a video mic and light(s) for some top-notch 5DM2 HD? Or is your focus primarily still on stills?

Well my gear sucks…but hey, I LOVE using it…it’s what I can afford and it doesn’t stop me from getting out there,,,FYI I am 60 too and prefer Tylenol Arthritis as my shooting buddy,,,never thought of the knee pads…